Delineation and Gerrymandering

Understanding delimitation, malapportionment and gerrymandering:

Is your vote value equal to your neighbour’s?

Choose Visible Layers (Top right) to switch on and off layers. Select or hover over the circles to query further information. Observe the urban-rural divide and the difference between the vote values (%).

First, we must understand the context of the delimitation process as stipulated in the constitution. Some key principles of delimitation (as per 13th schedule):

-Constituencies should be delimited without crossing state boundaries

-To take consideration of existing administrative facilities for the establishment of necessary registration and polling machines

-Number of electors within each constituency in a State ought to be approximately equal (exception is given for districts with rural disadvantage)

-Maintenance to local ties

-Number of electors shall be taken to be as shown on the current electoral rolls

A you can see the map above, the large number of red and blue bubbles indicate there is a very big discrepancy in the value of voter between the urban and rural electors. This is in contrary to the spirit of Federal Constitution.

The histogram above shows the variation of total number of electors from one state constituency to another. EQ is the Electoral Quotient and it represents the ideal number of electors per constituency. Hence, your voting value can differ in varying amount with your neighbour’s.

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Jom Balik Undi

The Warsaw Declaration (2000)

The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government, as expressed by the exercise of the right and civic duties of citizens to choose their representatives through regular, free and fair elections with universal and equal suffrage, open to multiple parties, conducted by secret ballot,monitored by independent electoral authorities,and free of fraud and intimidation.